Everclear - Farewell Concert from the POV of Lauren Mallory
by ptrtool1999
Summary: Inspired by and based on the fabulous fic 'Everclear' by Chandler1200, this is Lauren Mallory's POV from the begining of the evening to the start of Bella's farewell concert in Seattle. See how Lauren reacts to the reunion with her Forks friends, Edward and the Cullens, and her HS nemesis, Bella Swan. One Shot.


**A/N : Inspired by EverClear by Chandler1200 - **** s/5014469/1/EverClear**

**which, IMHO, is the best - by far - of the 'Bella turns rock star' themed stories. I had serious doubts about the whole theme, but after reading that story I was a believer.**

**So here is my view on what Lauren Mallory's POV might have been the night of the farewell concert in Seattle:**

Lauren POV:

"I can't wait to see Bella!" Angela Weber 'nee Cheney said with a stupid smile, her glasses riding high on her nose as she twitched nervously in her seat. Jessica, that traitor, nodded her head in agreement, her frizzy hair bouncing with her bobbing head, and a string of nonsense about how excited she was pouring from her overglossed lips.

Me? I fumed. Yes, I was intrigued to be going to see what big fuss was about, but couldn't these idiots be any less pathetic?

Bella Swan. The name brought back bittersweet memories for me. Bitter, because out of nowhere this bumbling, plain jane comes to Forks and rapidly steals the hearts of half the males in Forks High. Sweet - because her fall from grace senior year was heaven-sent.

She was a nice girl, it's true - and shy and never spoke a bad word about anyone - but for all that, I despised her. When I realized - five minutes after meeting her and seeing the reactions the boys had to her - that she was going to be a hot commodity in Forks, I expected her inner-bitch to come out, for her to be more like ... like... well, like me. Aloof, rude, bossy. Queen Bee material. And we would have bonded, and ruled the school.

But that never happened. Bella didnt fit the mold. Never dressed up, never wore makeup, never did anything with her hair, and absolutely never flirted or used her power over the stupid males of Forks HS.

Yes, I can admit that she had an interesting face; one of those timeless faces that you might see on a film star from the 1920's. Pale, dark haired, soft. But she didn't do anything with it. Pathetic, really. I watched her with interest that first day, expecting her to acknowledge me as a a sister-bitch, and together we would have had the males of Forks eating out of our hands.

But she didn't acknowledge me. She didn't even glance my way, and ignored my introduction to her with nary a nod.

So I disliked her, almost from the start. With her old fasjioned looks and girl next door sweet charm. And, to my growing rage, without even trying, she was quickly the hottest thing to hit Forks since the arrival of the Cullens.

The Cullens. How was it possible? They had ignored everyone at Forks, until most believed they were a super snobby group of rich elites. Too good for Forks. But then Bella came - and they were coming out in droves over her. She somehow snagged the most eligible bachelor in Forks, was best friends with the fashionista/weirdo Alice, and had Emmett Cullen laughing and pal-ing around with her. How did she do it?

I ground my teeth in frustation, tuning out the inane chatter of Jessica. The memories of my junior year were bitter - all because of Bella.

The sweet part of my memories? Senior year. It was fantastic. I watched her downfall with glee.

It wasn't until the Cullens suddenly pulled up shop and left Forks - and Bella - behind like a sack of spoiled potatoes - and subsequently turning Bella into a walking comatose person - that I regained my rightful role as Queen Bee of Forks HS. It was easy, then, to turn most of Bella's former friends against her, convincing them that she was only back with us because her precious Cullens left her, and that otherwise she wouldn't be giving us the time of day.

I knew it wasn't completely true; but I used whatever advantages I could get, and soon Bella was miss Pariah, yesterday's news. When her father died, I felt sorry for her - briefly, it's true - but that was the final nail in her coffin. She never recovered from that, and for the last two months of school I didn't see her again. Hell, she wasn't even at graduation! I heard she finished her coursework quietly, passed her tests, and left Forks - for parts unknown - and never returned.

And I thought I would never have to see her again. So imagine my surprise when a gushing Jessica pulled me over last week to rave about this hot metal band called 'Everclear' and how Bella was it's lead singer and that we were all going to see the show in Seattle.

Oh joy.

At first, I laughed at her. Bella? Lead singer in a metal band? Ridiculous. But then, the grainy image of the youtube video on was playing on her phone - and my laughter died on my lips. The image wasn't great, and the phone was small - but she looked pretty good. Long hair, tight leathers, toned body. My ire increased as I read a review, which gushed about her newfound celebrity and 'dynamic performance', calling her the 'hottest thing in rock'.

I remained withdrawn for the remainder of the ride, as we parked and made our way over to the arena. It was a fairly clear night, with a slight chill and very little mist. The crowds got thicker as we got closer to the arena, and Jessica pulled me along in her excitement.

Up ahead, I could see large crowds of people standing in line, waiting to get in to see the show. There were ticket hawkers everwhere, and there were the usual group of hustlers and drug dealers offering 'smoke and dope', 'band t shirts', 'autographed jackets' - which I am sure were fake - and various other goodies.

The crowd, for the most part, was a mix of headbangers, grungers, and college kids. A few truly scary looking metal-freaks - piercings and yellow hair and leather leather leather, and a fair number of degenerates wearing dirty fabrics that looked more like rags than clothing - were present as well, but they were the minority.

We were meeting Tyler, Mike, and Eric here - I had not seen them in a few months, and we rarely hung out as a group anymore - and I frankly didn't miss them. All three of them had a thing for Bella - fuck, half the goddamn school did! - and they came early to see if they could get into a sound check. I laughed when I heard that, as I figured no way they would get in - but I was surprised when Mike texted Ben and told him that the sound check was awesome and they would meet us at the Stage/VIP entranceway.

As we walked around the arena to the Vip entrance, the crowd got thick. There were security guards in bright yellow jackets, and there were screaming fangirls and groupies - male and female - trying to bribe their way in. Hell, one of the girls at the front of the throng, dressed in a skimpy cocktail dress, was giving one of the guards a total 'I will give you a BJ if you let me in' look; I knew, as I've given enough these looks myself when trying to get into nightclubs- but it didn't seem to be helping.

I was being bodily pushed, surrounded by the rabid group, when I heard Tyler's voice shouting for us from behind the line of Guards.

"Angela! Jess! Ben! Over here!"

We looked up, as a group, and there stood the three of them. They were waving frantically, and I saw Eric lean down and show one of the Guards some bright passes and pointed out something on his clipboard. The guard tapped his earpiece mic, said something I couldn't hear over the noise, and suddenly I was being pulled through the press of bodies by Ben and Angela.

I was elated at this small victory, and as I passed the line of Guards which reformed behind me, I turned and gave a smug smile to the bitch with the 'fuck me' eyes as she glared at me.

I was briefly swept up in hugs by Mike and Eric, and Tyler gave me a sort of half wave. I played it cool - I gave them each a small smile, except for Tyler. Him, I gave a very disinterested grimace. He and I had once been fairly close - but I despised him now.

I had hooked up with him a few times over the past year or so, but the last two times I tried he had rebuffed me with excuses about being too goddamn busy or some shit. Well, fuck that. I was the best lay he was ever going to get, and if he wasn't going to give it up to me when I wanted, then I had nothing to say to him.

I knew I didn't look as good as I did in High School. Too many hours on tanning beds had dried out my skin, and I was getting laugh lines and age spots at 24. Too damn soon for that. And my hair, once my most potent weapon after my blue eyes - was now dried out and I had to bleach it often to keep it looking like it used to. I know I still looked good - but I knew, down deep, that my best days were already behind me.

I looked over at Mike as we walked. Poor, pathetic Mike. I had given him a pity fuck, long ago -and I smirked when I saw him now, gone to fat with a sagging middle and a receding hairline. He looked like he was already in his forties, the poor bastard. But as he quietly chatted away with Ben about the 'awesomeness' of the band and how great Bella was, I ground my teeth in anger.

He apparently didn't see the glares I was giving him, as he continued: "Man, you should have heard her. She sounded amazing, and looked like she stepped out of a biker chick magazine,"

Eric chimed in: "Yeah, unbelievable. Who knew she could sing like that? I can't believe how changed she is. Its like she is a different person. And so hot!"

I couldn't take it any more, and snorted at them. "You too sound pathetic, whingeing after Bella after all this time. Give it the fuck up, already!" I finished, with a snarky tone.

The rest of the walk was silent, as the group was embarrassed.

Soon, we made our way up a flight of metal stairs, and into a wide, open room where men in suits, glamor girls, and some guys with passes hanging from their necks were milling around, chatting away. And in the center of the room, at a big table laid out with various foods, sat Dr. Cullen and the woman who I presumed to be his wife.

I could not stop staring at them; I had forgotten how dripping panty gorgeous the Doctor was. I was staring at him, when turned to survey the room. He smiled politely when he saw our group enter; maybe he remembered us?

I was stunned. The Cullens were back? I had absolutely no fucking idea. When? How? Was Bella with Edward again?

I turned to Jessica, ready to demand answers, but she looked as surprised as me. Angela too, though she had a big shit eating grin on her face.

Mike and his fag friends seemed to know that they would be here, though - they showed no surprise.

So what did that mean? Did they see the Cullens at the sound check? I hated not being in the know.

This was going to be a long night.

I shuffled to a small group of tables with my 'friends', and looked over the very mixed company that was hanging out in the room. There were older guys in suits, probably in their fifties. There were a bunch of press photographers, with big cameras, tripods, microphones, and ridiculous passes hanging from their necks - like, who the hell else would they be?.

And there were a bunch of younger,hipper looking people - musicians, maybe, or road crew. For the most part, they were dressed casually, and many had ear cuffs or light piercings, leather jackets or pants, and many had long hair. An interesting group, to be sure, and several of them looked pretty damn sexy.

Maybe tonight wouldn't be so bad after all? If I could hook up with one of these guys, I would leave here feeling pretty good about myself.

As I looked over the room more carefully, I heard Jessica giving the thrid degree to Mike. Did he see all the Cullens? Were Edward and Bella back together? How long have they been with her? The questions came out rapid fire, and before Mike could answer, I suddenly saw Angela break into a grin and half stand up from her seat, her hand going in the air.

"Edward, over here!" she bravely called out.

I turned, to see the God that was Edward Cullen striding over to Angela's seat, decked out in leather, with his bronze sex hair fabulously disheveled around his perfect face. His skin was fucking glowing, pale and smooth and perfect, and his candy apple lips turned upwards in a beautiful smile.

Fuck.

I gasped as his smooth, silky voice greeted Angela. I had forgotten just how gorgeous he was. He made every other guy I had ever seen look like a stooge. I had to force my mouth closed, to keep the drool from pooling at my feet.

"Angela, Ben," he purred, all velvet and dulcet tones. He smoothly sat down next to them on their bench, his thigh muscles flexing under his smooth leather pants. I looked briefly away, at Jessica, and saw the same dazed look on her face, and the fuming scowl on Mikes face, and both she and I shared recognition that, indeed, Edward was here and that he and Bella were together again.

I truly hated Bella Swan.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, we were ushered into a decent size 'box', labeled VIP, from which we would watch the concert. There was a large, black piano on a tower maybe ten feet from us, butting right up against the railing to our box.

I recognized some of the other occupants from the Vip room we had been in before, and I also noticed the rest of the Cullen clan, all decked out in fancy looking leather and lace, boots, jackets, and other rock show attire.

I had truly forgotten how stunning they all were. Jasper, Emmett, and the fucking beauty queen herself, fucking Rosalie Hale. I had never seen that bitch smile in my entire life, but she looked relaxed and happy, laughing at something her hulk of a boyfriend - or was it husband now? - said. Even Jasper, who I remembered as looking as if he was constipated most of the time, was relaxed and cheerful, though I didn't see little Alice anywhere.

Maybe they broke up? Jasper was a hottie, but he was too intimidating for me. He had that 'scary guy' look down too well. I don't know how Alice handled it.

After a few minutes of listening to the blather of the Forks crew, the lights dimmed, and the first notes blasted through the air. The concert was starting.

The music got louder, and the crowd was now calling 'Bella! Bella!'

I could taste the jealousy on my tongue. What the fuck is wrong with this picture? How can this huge crowd be calling for Bella Swan?

I turned my head, to see the Cullen family standing, arms in the air, chanting out her name, when the lights suddenly flashed, and a loud voice - which I couldn't even recognize as Bella's - was roaring through the arena at stultifying volume.

I turned to look back at the stage, now shrouded in darkness, when the music erupted again, and the stage lights came on.

There, standing in the middle of the stage in a red velvet cape, standing like a queen surveying the commoners, was my fucking nightmare made real.

Isabella fucking Swan.

I heard the gasps coming from my 'friends', and I felt Jessica's hand grasp my wrist painfully. I understood all too well. I couldn't wrap my head around what I was seeing on the stage.

For there, belting out throaty lyrics over the crashing roar of the band and the crowd, was probably the sexiest looking woman I had ever seen. Her outfit - drool worthy and probably worth more than I made all year at my shit job - flowed along her body, slit along her mile long legs, revealing her milky pale skin for all the world to see. And as she moved and danced around the stage, taunting and raving to the crowd, I felt bile rising in my throat as the truth of her beauty rocked through me.

Her hair was glorious - there was no other word for it - and hung like the mane of a lioness down her back and over her thighs. Her 6 inch heels showcased her toned calves, her body looked perfect - tits up high, stomach flat and toned, arms thin and long.

There was no getting around the fact - Bella Swan had turned into a fucking goddess, and I had never hated anyone more in my entire life.

Fuck my life.


End file.
